Let's take it on back to the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia. Lee Calhoun took home gold in the 110m hurdles. Not to be shown up in 1960, Calhoun took gold AGAIN. Here's Calhoun with one of his medals! Calhoun was born in Laurel, MS.
The 1960 Olympics took place in Rome, Italy. While Calhoun was leaving everyone in the dust in 110m hurdles, Ralph Boston was bounding ahead of the competition in the Men's Long Jump event where he took home gold. Boston also took home silver in the long jump at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, and bronze at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Boston was born in Laurel, MS. Below is Ralph Boston completing a jump at the Olympics in 1964.
Also competing in Mexico City in 1968 was Hattiesburg, MS native, Barbara Ferrell. Ferrell won gold and silver medals in the 1968 Olympics. She won gold in the 4x100m relay, and silver in the 100m race. The photo below shows Ferrell streaking out ahead of her competition.
Mississippi didn't have another Olympic medalist until 1984 when Calvin Smith competed in the Olympic Games that were held in Los Angeles, CA. Smith won gold in the men's 4x100m relay. He medaled again in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea, where he took home bronze for the men's 100m race. Smith is a native of Bolton, MS. The photo below shows Smith blasting out of the starting blocks!
Not far from Bolton, the town of Clinton was watching with baited breath as one of their own competed in the 1988 Games. Larry Myricks won the bronze medal in the men's long jump! Below is Myricks mid jump.
The most recent Mississippian to take home a medal is Otis Harris of Edwards, MS who took home silver and gold in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Harris and his teammates won gold in the men's 4x400 relay, and he won silver in the men's 400m race. The photo below shows Otis (far left) and his teammates after claiming gold.
And now we get to cheer on another Mississippian in the games in London this summer! Trell Kimmons, of Coldwater, MS, is headed across the pond to represent the U.S. of A, and the Magnolia State!
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